John Carradine (1906-1988)

biography

Born Richmond Carradine in New York City on February 5, 1906, famed horror legend John Carradine was once possibly the hardest working man in Hollywood, appearing in over 300 films of extreme variance in quality during his six-decade career. First working as an artist in the 1920s, Carradine made his way to Hollywood during the latter days of silent films where he did stage work. By 1930 he entered films, his deep and sonorous voice lending itself well to the new medium of sound. Often working uncredited in the early 1930s, Carradine appeared in such stellar films as The Invisible Man (1933; with Claude Rains) and The Bride of Frankenstein (1935; with Boris Karloff and Elsa Lanchester). Signing with 20th-Century Fox, later in the decade Carradine moved into solid supporting roles in Daniel Boone (1936; with George O'Brien) and Jesse James (1939; with Tyrone Power). Often working with director John Ford, one of Carradine's finest performances can be seen in Ford's The Grapes of Wrath (1940; with Henry Fonda). In 1942, his association with Fox ended, and he freelanced at Monogram, PRC, and Universal, where his lean figure and gaunt face lent themselves perfectly to horror movies. Now a star, Carradine headlined Captive Wild Woman (1943; with Evelyn Ankers and Acquanetta), House of Frankenstein (1944; with Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney Jr., and Glenn Strange), and House of Dracula (1945; with Lon Chaney Jr. and Glenn Strange). However, Universal's monster mania fizzled out in the days following the end of World War II. Carradine made relatively few films in the late 1940s, instead focusing on stage productions. After a five-year hiatus, he returned to films in the mid 1950s, sometimes in small roles. By the late 1950s, with the huge demand for drive-in circuit low-budget horror films, Carradine was riding high again.

the films of john carradine

White Fang (1936)

From the 20th Century Fox adventure White Fang

Stagecoach (1939)

From John Ford's Stagecoach with Louise Platt, Claire Trevor, and John Wayne

The Black Sleep (1956)

The Unearthly (1957)

Carradine and fellow mad scientist (and former Miss America) Marilyn Buferd experiment on another young female victim in the campy classic The Unearthly, which once aired on Mystery Science Theater 3000

Invisible Invaders (1959)

Carradine was cast in yet another mad scientist role in the low budget Invisible Invaders

House of the Black Death (1965)

With Jerome Thor in the low budget House of the Black Death

Billy the Kid versus Dracula (1966)

Carradine as Dracula attempts to prey on Melinda Plowman in the campy western horror movie Billy the Kid versus Dracula

The Astro-Zombies (1969)

Disgruntled mad scientist John Carradine attends to one of his killer zombies in the Ted V. Mikels horror campfest The Astro-Zombies

Blood of Dracula's Castle (1969)

From the low-budget horror flick Blood of Dracula's Castle, directed by Al Adamson. Also pictured is Vicki Volante

Bigfoot (1970)

Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex But Were Afraid to Ask (1972)

With Woody Allen in Allen's hilarious Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex But Were Afraid to Ask

later years

From the mid 1960s through the mid 1970s, there was scarcely a horror film in which John Carradine didn't appear; some of his credits from this era include my personal favorites Billy the Kid vs. Dracula (1966; with Chuck Courtney) The Astro-Zombies (1969; with Wendell Corey and Tura Satana), and Beast of the Yellow Night (1971; with John Ashley). He also appeared in many of director Al Adamson's drive-in flicks, including Blood of Dracula's Castle (1969; with Paula Raymond) and Five Bloody Graves (1970; with Scott Brady and Paula Raymond). He can also be seen in such diverse films as The Trouble with Girls (1969; with Elvis Presley), the big-budget campfest Myra Breckinridge (1970; with Raquel Welch and Mae West), and a hilarious turn in Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex But Were Afraid to Ask (1972; with Woody Allen). Old age didn't slow Carradine down; toward the end of his life, he was still at in Monster in the Closet (1987; with Stella Stevens and Paul Walker) and Evil Spawn (1987; with Richard Harrison and Gordon Mitchell). Sadly, John Carradine passed away on November 27, 1988, at the age of 82. He was survived by his fourth wife, Emily; son Chris Carradine; actors David Carradine, Keith Carradine, and Robert Carradine; and an adopted son, actor Bruce Carradine.